GEORGE’S GRENADA- AUGUST 22, 2025- Dr. Ronen Francis, Executive Director for the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) and Chief of Staff Ms. Kiefer Jackson, made a courtesy call with the Ministry of the Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy – Barbados – Hon. Adrian Forde on Wednesday 20 August 2025.
During the courtesy call Dr. Francis held talks with the Hon. Adrian Forde- Minister for the Environment and National Beautification- Barbados, Permanent Secretary David Leacock, and Deputy Permanent Secretary Steve Devonish, Acting Director of Natural Heritage Department and UNCCD Focal Point Ms. Rosene Reid.
The meeting with the Barbadian delegation focused on several areas including the advancement of the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) multicounty soil management initiative for integrated landscape restoration and sustainable food systems: phase 1” known as SOILCARE- a flagship project on soils funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and executed by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM) with the FAO as the implementing agency.
Additionally, the participants also discussed partnerships between the PISLM and Barbados. Forde, who also holds the position of Chair of the PISLM Ministerial Council, also raised the region’s participation in the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC) negotiations and the host country agreement.
The Minister underscored the importance of equipping regional technical experts to effectively represent the region in international fora such as CRIC and COP. The visit to Barbados, by the PISLM Executive Director, follows similar visit and engagement with Hon. Lennox Andrews- Minister for Agriculture, Lands and Forestry Grenada, last week and is part of a series of regional courtesy calls to countries within the region.
